Quinn takes third in Heisman Trophy balloting

Quinn finished fourth in voting last year, when former USC running back Reggie Bush won the award.

Smith received 801 first-place votes and 1,662 total points for the second-most lopsided victory in the trophy’s 72-year history.

With Smith’s win Saturday at the Nokia Theatre in New York City, Ohio State tied USC and Notre Dame for the most Heisman Trophies, with seven apiece. USC and Notre Dame have had seven players win the award, while Ohio State has six – former Buckeye Archie Griffin won the Heisman twice.

Quinn, a four-year starter for the Irish, completed 247-of-432 passes with 35 touchdowns and five interceptions in the regular season. His 35-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio was the fifth best in Division I-A history and the greatest for a player from one of the six major conferences or Notre Dame.

Quinn received 13 first place votes, 276 second place votes and191 third place votes for a total of 782 points.

Quinn also won the Maxwell Award, given by the Maxwell Football Club to college football’s player of the year, Thursday night at the College Football Awards Show in Orlando. Quinn is the fifth Notre Dame player to win the Maxwell Award in 70 years. The most recent was defensive lineman Ross Browner, who took home the 1977 trophy.

Linebacker Jim Lynch took home the Maxwell in 1966. In 1949, tight end Leon Hart won the award, and the 1952 and 1953 trophies both went to halfback John Lattner. Both Hart and Lattner also won the Heisman Trophy.

The 2005 winner of the Maxwell was Vince Young, who finished second in Heisman voting.

Carlson first Academic All-America since 1993

Tight end John Carlson was named to ESPN The Magazine’s First-Team Academic All-America. He is Notre Dame’s 179th Academic All-American, 30 of whom have been football players.

The last football player to be named to the list was Tim Ruddy in 1993.

Carlson is a history major with a 3.59 GPA. On the field, he has accumulated 621 yards on 46 catches for four touchdowns.

Carlson was injured early in the Air Force game on Nov. 11 but is expected to play in the Sugar Bowl against Louisiana State. He was also a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end.

Young named to two freshman All-America teams

Offensive lineman Sam Young was named to the Freshman All-America team by The Sporting News and Rivals.com. As a true freshman, he started all 12 games at right tackle.

Young was Notre Dame’s first-ever true freshman to start on the offensive line.

Other award winners

Wide receiver Jeff Samardzija and safety Tom Zbikowski were named second-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Samardzija was a consensus All-America in 2005 and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award this season, given to the nation’s top wide receiver. He gained 958 yards on 70 receptions this season with 11 touchdowns.

In 2005, Samardzija became Notre Dame’s fourth-ever wide receiver to break 1,000 yards receiving in a season, and would be the first to accomplish it twice with 42 yards or more in the Sugar Bowl.

Despite battling injuries and missing a game this season, Zbikowski was the team’s third-leading tackler in the regular season with 69.

He has also started at punt returner and returned kickoffs against USC this season. Zbikowski returned a punt for a touchdown against North Carolina and a fumble for a score against Penn State. Those touchdowns brought him to seven in his career.